Peter gal



PETER GAL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS FOR COLORING NATURAL STONY SUBSTANCES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pn'rnn GAL, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes for. Coloring Natural Stony Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for dyeing and treating relatively hard mineral substance with a view of producing ornamental-stones, and the main object of the invention is to dye and treat mineral turquoise and stony substance somewhat allied to the turquoise in such manner that the same will be given commercial value as ornamental stones possessing appearance and color in substantial imitation of the genuine turquoise stones.

It is well-known that the genuine mineral turquoise stones, found principally in Turkestan, Persia, and other oriental countries, are much prized asa medium of personal adornment and otherwise as ornamental stones of commercial value, because of the typical delicate sky-blue or bluish-green colors. Stones somewhat allied to the genuine turquoise stones are found in many countries and places. In the United States the stones are found more particularly in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and California, but they are of a poor quality having no particular commercial importance because they are without color or are too pale or dead in color, because their color, if any, deteriorates by exposure to light, and also because of other reasons. The object I have in view, therefore, is the provision of a process by which to dye and treat these stones so that they will be given a stron uniform color in substantial imitation o the genuine mineral turquoise stones, thereby rendering valuable and useful what are usually regarded as of 'no commercial im-. portance.

The following is the preferred method of carrying out my process I take a quantity of ordinary brass, made Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed April 8, 1918. Serial No. 227,354.

parts of the nitric acid, dissolve from one to four parts of brass, the exact proportion of the ingredients to be used depending upon the texture of the stone, its native coloring, and the intensity of color desired to produce,

it being remarked thatthe more intensely the solution is impregnated with the copper and zinc ingredients, the more uniform will be the luster and stability of the coloring. For dyein the stones in a general way, without spec c regard to any precise color variatlon, it may be remarked that in about each ounce of nitric acid, there should be dissolved, as to weight, about one-fourth of an ounce of ordinary brass.

When the brass has been dissolved in the nitric acid, the stone to be dyed or colored should be dipped or immersed in the solution for a period varyin from 15 to 25 minutes, the precise perio depending upon the hardness .and texture of the stone. When the stone is approximately of the same hardness as the usual genuine turquoise stone, the period of immersion should be from 15 to 20 minutes. Where the stone is relatively soft, the nitric acid'may seriously affect; its composition.

The stones may be colored by-immersing them in a solution resulting by dissolving copper alone in the nitric acid, but the colorin resulting from carrying out this process in ludes generally an undes1rable reen color and luster which substantially lac s the delicate and uniform color and luster necessary in orderto produce a desirable and stable imitation of the genuine turquoise stone. The presence of the zinc in the solution has the eifect of producin the desirable delicate blue coloring or bluis -green coloring.

Obviously, my process may be carried out by dissolving in the nitric acid the copper and zinc as separate elements, but the mode of operation above described is the one preferred because of the results produced, as well as because of its simplicity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The-herein described process of coloring natural stony substance, which consists in immersing the stony substance in an acid solution of ordinary brass until it acquires a sky-blue or greenish-blue color.

2. The herein described process of providing ornamental stones in s -blue or bluishgreen colors like the or1ental turquoise' stones, which consists in subjecting stony stubstance to the action of an acid solution of copper and zinc.

3. The herein described process of providing ornamental stones in sky-blue or bluish-green colors like the oriental turquoise stones, which consists in subjecting natural stony substance to the action of an acid solution of ordinary brass for a period varying from 15 to 25 minutes, depending upon the texture and native coloring of the stony substance.

i. The herein described process of dyeing natural stony substance to produce ornamental stones in sky-blue or bluish green colors like the oriental turquoise stones, which consists in dissolving in commercial concentrated nitric acid a quantity of ordinary brass, and then in immersing the stony 1 substance in the resulting solution for a period varying from 15 to 25 minutes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification,

' PETER GAL. 

